Paperplay Challenges '11 - Week 38 - Autumn Leaves

These days I rarely get the opportunity to enter a card challenge, which is a shame because I enjoy doing things like that. Sadly between various work and social committments, plus the fact that I'm not as energetic as I think I am I get distracted and sidetracked. That should read as sucked into the great white box on the computer desk!

Anyway, it just so happens that Autumn or Fall is one of my favourite times of the year and I've been lucky enough to be able to take a few days off this week. The result is that while I seem to have done very little around the house or in terms of sewing as planned, my fingers have been very active elsewhere.

Amongst other things I've updated a number of blogs and websites that I'm associated with, caught up with correspondence outstanding, arranged radio interviews and telephone interviews with journalists in a last bid to save our gymnastics club (to put it bluntly we're being evicted!)

I've also attended two meetings with the dyslexia group here in town, a business networking meeting, made a load of cards for friends and generally taken life easy this week. The card went down so well with the young man who ordered it for his wife and earned him a few brownie points for the weekend!

My time had been tentatively booked to clean out and tidy up my 'studio.' At the moment it's looking more and more as though a bomb's hit it, but like I said earlier, I got distracted. Maybe that's why I couldn't find my PTI leaf prints collection of dies. It's bad enough that I actually broke my beloved Cuttlebug a couple of weeks ago, but this is ridiculous - they've vanished into thin air!

That of course led to fussy cutting of the oak leaves, which while it's not an arduous task is really juat a bit daft under the circumstances. For the rest of my card I've used WMS Blessed By You & Victorian and the PTI Leaf Prints stamp sets with Ranger Inks Big & Juicy Ink Pad in Spice on card from the PaperMill Shop, ribbon from my amazing stash of grosgrain and the DoCrafts Scalloped Border Punch...

I'm entering this into this weeks PaperPlay Challenges ('11 - Week 38) Autumn Leaves Challenge, I hope you like it!

Have a great weekend!

Polly

Polly Crafting On The Web?

Once again I've spied some yummy blog candy and I want it! (see below) Not only do I want the candy which becomes available when PartiCraft Ltd reach a massive 500 followers on their blog, but I want more...

PartiCraft Range of Un-Mounted Stamps

It seems that this company, who set up their blog back in June of last year, are not only on the web but they also employ direct sales techniques by hiring demonstrators who travel far and wide peddling their wares. I know that this really doesn't sound that inspiring, but wait just a moment. consider the fact that much of what is available to crafters' here in Ireland is produced by Design Objectives; consisting mainly of products in the Do-crafts or Papermania ranges. Yep, it's fairly limited, isn't it?

Cosmic Shimmer Range of Embossing Powders

Sure there are some independent craft companies who do stock more a wider range of more interesting stock. Unfortunately, access to them is mainly on the internet and seldom in the flesh. This of course means that craft addicts are restricted to buying stash without the pleasure of inspecting it beforehand.



PartiCraft, like several other mainly American companies have found a niche market. By holding craft parties in your own home or at a local venue; demonstrations of how to use their products and hostess rewards PartiCraft are different. Admittedly, things are on the up in the UK and there is probably a wider audience for their wares, but papercrafting is finally taking off over here and Irish crafters are frustrated with the lack of stash locally available. Maybe, just maybe this is where PartiCraft will triumph...

This Delicious Blog Candy becomes available when PartiCraft Ltd reach 500 followers...

One of the largest direct sales craft companies, American based Stampin Up; has declined numerous invitations to open up its sales force in the Republic, while it happily carries out its business north of the border. To add insult to injury their demonstrators/reps are not allowed to accept orders from an address in the Republic of Ireland either!

Fingers crossed that PartiCraft will have the foresight to cash in on an open market while it's still available. Meanwhile, I still want that blog candy and am offering it to you too! All you have to do is go to their blog, sign up to follow it, place a link on your blog and then e-mail them to let them know what you've done. It couldn't be simpler, could it? There is just one catch and that is that the candy will only be available once they've reached the five hundred followers mark...

Be good!

Polly Pierce

Polly Creates Cards For Cancer

Finally here are the famous charity cards I was trying to get on-line last week! Just click on the title of this post to be transported to my Create-A-Card-For-Cancer album...

For the fourth consecutive year Papermania have released a special limited edition daffodil for their Create A Card For Cancer campaign. This charitable cause lies close to my heart as there is a long and strong history of cancer in my family. This is on both my Mum's side and my Dad's side of the family.

As we have been fortunate enough to have received the help of similar organisations, in the form of Manorlands, Sue Ryder Hospice and the Irish Cancer Society I am delighted to be able to donate a little of my time to such a worthy cause.

Anyone can help, all it takes is a wee bit of time, good will and a bit of creativity. For more information on how you can join this campaign and do your bit for cancer visit www.create-a-card-for-cancer-care.org (please copy & paste this url into your browser!) If you feel unable to create a card for cancer, why not buy one instead? Cards will be available for sale at Marie Curie shops in the UK for £1.00 each.

Of course if you don't live in the UK there are other ways for you to get involved in this good cause, for example 20th March is Daffodil Day in Ireland. Why not visit the Irish Cancer Society website for more information on how you can get involved? Maybe you could volunteer a couple of hours of your time or hold a coffee morning?

Whatever you do to help, rest assured that your efforts will go towards the care of cancer patients across the UK and Ireland. Remember the daffodil has been adopted as the sign for the various societies offering support to cancer sufferer's and their families...

Keep an eye out for those daffodils as they slowly come into bloom. The snowdrops are already here...

Best wishes

Polly Pierce
VINCA Cards & Brownie Points For Men